No. 5 Northern Iowa beats No. 24 Purdue for best season in program history

History-making perfection: UNI wrestling completes the season with best overall record since program started in 1923

University of Northern Iowa

Panther perfection that's one for the history books.

Fifth-ranked University of Northern Iowa wrestling defeated No. 24 Purdue, 21-12, at Cedar Falls, Iowa Sunday, completing the season 12-0 in dual-meet competition, the best season record since the program was launched in 1923.

This season’s dozen wins/no losses record surpasses the previous best record of 11-0 set in 1950, the year the Panthers won their one and only NCAA team title while hosting the nationals in what is now West Gym.

“They should be proud of that,” said head coach Doug Schwab as his team established the new record on Senior Day. “Just the history of that - to set some history is a great thing. It’s a tribute to our guys and the guys since they took over the program - the (seniors) who were out there. We are going to miss those guys, but they have more to do this season. It was a great way to go out.”

UNI wrestlers won six of ten matches, with the Panthers’ 125-pounder Dylan Peters starting the dual in electrifying fashion by pinning his Purdue opponent, putting bonus points on the board for the home team. It was Peters’ 16th pin of the season.

Coach Schwab was pleased with the performance of his Panthers.

“We know what we are doing. We got guys that peaked at the right time last year,” said Schwab. “There’s a lot of emotions for those seniors on the last day out. I know they will feel better when it’s most important.”

The UNI-Purdue dual was the first meeting between the two programs since 2009. In the all-time series, which dates back to 1929, the Panthers now lead 14-5.

With the win, UNI is now 12-0 for the season, and 5-0 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), while Purdue falls to 6-8 overall, and 1-7 in the Big Ten.

Match Results

125: No. 6 Dylan Peters (UNI) pinned Camden Eppert (PU), (3:34)

133: No. 1 Joe Colon (UNI) dec. No. 12 Cashé Quiroga (PU), 8-6

141: Danny Sabatello (PU) dec. No. 14 Joey Lazor (UNI), 14-10

149: Tyler Patten (UNI) dec. Brandon Nelsen (PU), 2-0

157: Alex Griffin (PU) dec. Jarrett Jensen (UNI), 3-2

165: No. 11 Cooper Moore (UNI) dec. Pat Robinson (PU), 6-1

174: Patrick Kissel (PU) dec. No. 17 Cody Caldwell (UNI), 4-2

184: No. 5 Ryan Loder (UNI) dec. Tanner Lynde (PU), 5-0

197: No. 12 Braden Atwood (PU) dec. Jared Bartel (UNI), 7-5

Hwt: Blaize Cabell (UNI) dec. Alex White (PU), 5-3

The heart of the season is here! Don't miss a thing! Keep up with the biggest on-the-mat developments, as well coach hirings, firings and retirings, new programs, new events, new ways to promote wrestling, and other stories you won't find elsewhere... by clicking the "subscribe" button at the top of the page to make sure you don't miss a single article from College Wrestling Examiner, winner of Amateur Wrestling News' Dellinger Award as wrestling writer of 2011.It's absolutely FREE!

Share this article

Mark is a staff writer for InterMatWrestle.com, as well as Wrestling USA, Amateur Wrestling News, and The Guillotine magazines, and has contributed to the books "Family Ties: An American Wrestling Tradition" and "The Ultimate Guide to Wrestling Camps." Mark received the Bob Dellinger Award from Amateur Wrestling News as wrestling writer of the year. Send Mark a note.